Dispenser for paper sheets



' July 9, 1940. H. w. BERGER DISPENSER FOR PAPER SHEETS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F'ileKd March 30, 1938 July 9, 1940. H. w. BERGER l DISPENSER FOR PAPER SHEETS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 50, 193B Patented July 9, 1940 UNiTED stares mais PATE @Fi ME.

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a dispenser for paper sheets and more particularly to a new device for dispensing paper towels, napkins, and the like.

One feature of my invention is that the sheets of paper or similar material are dispensed only in predetermined units; another feature is that the paper sheets are inaccessible to the user until the device is operated.; still another feature is that overlapping sheets are avoided; other features and advantages will appear from the following specification and drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of one embodiment of my invention; Fig. 2 is a View, partly broken away, along the line 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 isa plan view with the cabinet cover removed; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View with the end of a paper towel projecting from the dispenser; and Fig. 5 is a perspective View of a paper towel.

In dispensers of this type heretofore commonly used, the device normally permits a single towel to project from the cabinet, accessible to the user. The removal of this towel by an overlapping arrangement of the towels then draws the next towel into the accessible position. The disadvantage of a device of this type is that the user may waste the towels by pulling out twoor three at one time. Other devices pro-vide for the dispensing of a single or a predetermined number of towels at one time, but the mechanisms are so complicated that they are expensive and easily get out of order. The embodiment of my invention disclosed herein dispenses a single cr a lirnited number of towels and is simple to operate and inexpensive to manufacture.

While my invention is described, for the purposes of illustration, in connection with the use of paper towels, it will be apparent that any material which can be suitably folded may be used as well. Other materials with which my invention has been found to be particularly useful are toilet paper and paper napkins.

In the particular embodiment of my invention described herein, a cabinet I serves as a container for the paper towels. The cover Il for the `cabinet is preferably sloping or curved, in order that articles will not be placed thereon, and may rise from each side at an angle of 30 or 40 to a peak, as shown.

Along the sides of the cabinet at the base thereof, two supports I2 and I3, with inwardly turned flanges ill and I5, are secured theretoy by rivets or screws I6. The ends of said supports project beyond the ends of the cabinet and serve as a base for the mounting of the dispensing mecha- (Cl. S12-58) nism. Two rods il' 'and I8 are fixedly mounted on the ends of said supports, preferably beyond the ends of the cabinet I0 or at least beyond the endsy of the paper towels in order that they may not interfere therewith.

A flat plate gis slidably mounted on the rods I 'I and I8, preferably by simply bending the ends of the plate around therods.` AThe width of the plate may be suitably adjusted tothe type of towel or other paper sheet usedvbut is usually approximately one-half the width ,of the' cabinet. Small stops 20, fixed on the rods, limit movement of the plate towards one side of the cabinet Ill and a spring 2i urges the plate away from the other side of said cabinet, thus retaining the plate I 9 in what will be called its normal position in approximately the center of the cabinet.

A handle 22 of any suitable type is attached to the platev I9 enabling the user to slide the plate towards the side of the cabinet against the urging of the springs ZI. The handle 22 is preferably centrally located on the plate to assist smooth, even slidability. It is also desirable to attach to the plate small projecting fingers 23 and 24 which aid in forcing exposed towels into a more accessible position.

The paper towels 25 must be suitably folded for use in my dispensing device. At least one end 2B of said towel should be folded backwardly under the main body thereof in order that said end may rest on the plate I9 when the plate is .in its normal position.

Because symmetrical sheets are simpler to manufacture and more easily properly placed in the cabinet, it is usually desirable that the other end 2'I of the paper towel should also be folded under the main body of the sheet. At any rate, if the end 2'! is so folded, the fold should be of a sufficient depth that the end 27 may also rest on the plate I 9 when the plate is in its normal position.

Thus, as shown particularly in Fig. 5, the ends 25 and 21 of the towel 25 may be folded backwardly under the main body thereof. The ends are preferably adjacent to each other but not overlapping. The space between the two ends should be less than the width of the plate I0.

The folded paper towels are made in a suitable size to enable them to t snugly in the cabinet l0. The flanges. HI and I serve as the primary support for the sheets when in place in the cabinet. in addition, the ends 26 and 21 rest upon the plate I9.

The'operation of my invention is extremely simple. By means of the handle 22, the plate I9 is pulled to the side of the cabinet l0. In this position the plate I9 no longer supports the end 26 of the paper towel 25 and said end immediately drops down below the level of the plate. When the handle 22 is released, the spring 2l urges the plate I9 back to its normal position and the fingers 23 and 2li force the end of the paper dcvm into a more accessible position. The user then grasps the end of the paper towel and removes it by pulling it out. If another sheet is desired, the operation is repeated.

It is obvious that various means other than the handle 22 may be used to operate the device. For instance, by means of the usual spring and lever arrangement (not shown) it may be operated by pressing a button. Or one of the usual types of coin control devices (not shown) may be connected therewith making the device operable only upon the insertion of a coin.

Ordinarily, it will be vdesirable to dispense only a single sheet with each operationv However, towels may be dispensed in groups of two or any other predetermined unit by interfolding them in such groups.

The foregoingY detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be. understood therefrom, but the appended claim should be construed as broadly as permissible, in View of the prior art.

I claim:

In a dispenser for paper towels adapted to permit only one towel to be removed therefrom by a single operation by the user thereof, a cabinet adapted to receive a plurality of towels, each of said towels having at least one end thereof folded backwardly under the main body of said towel, said cabinet having an opening in the bottom thereof through which said towels may be removed, members in said cabinet on opposite sides of said opening for supporting said towels in vertically stacked relation in said cabinet with the folded end of each towel extending from one side of the cabinet under a portion of the main body of the towel, a horizontal plate carried by said cabinet covering a portion of said opening, said plate when in normal position being adapted to support the folded end of the lowermost of said towels in a position inaccessible to the user thereof, said plate being horizontally slidable across said opening towards the other side of said cabinet to a position out of contact with said folded end of said towel, permitting said end to become accessible to the user thereof through said opening, and spring means for urging said plate to normal position, leaving a single towel in a position of access to the user.

HAROLD W. BERGER. 

